"You were out longer than expected," a buff man spoke, "Tan Huizhong."
"I ran into some trouble." Tan Huizhong retorted. His blunt reply made it obvious he had no intention of telling what kind of trouble he ran into.
"The Tan Huizhong," a man besides the buff man, the man with more power, mocked, "In trouble? Why don't I believe it?"
Tan Huizhong's brown eyes constricted at the lean man's words. He was the noble in charge of the capital, Shen Zihao. A friend of the current emperor. And unlike most of the nobles, he was smart and calculative with every one of his moves. Tan Huizhong respected those like Shen Zihao, but hated coming into contact with them.
"I'm old now. Of course I'm going to have some problems with my health now and then." Tan Huizhong reluctantly replied, presenting an image of a stubborn old man refusing to admit of his faults. "It was nothing I couldn't handle though."
"Is that so?" Shen Zihao replied, a slight smile on his narrow face. The smile was impossible to read, and sent goosebumps down Huizhong's nape. "Then next time, please do calculate accordingly."
"Of course." Tan Huizhong replied with a polite smile.
After their brief interaction, Tan Huizhong was allowed to leave. However, he didn't go straight to Kang's - like he had promised. The slight smile that Zihao had sent him away with was getting on his nerves, and he knew that this wouldn't be the last time he saw him in the day.
So first, he had to get rid of the men he had sent to track him. Which proved to be a difficult task. The men wouldn't lose sight of him no matter what he did. And finally, he was left with no choice.
Entering the market area, he maneuvered through a tight crowd until he reached a particular establishment. The building was two stories, and a bright green color. Inside, multiple people resided. But Tan Huizhong paid no attention to anyone on the first floor, his attention went directly up to the second floor. Where he saw a familiar face.
Without hesitating, he jumped up to the second floor and grabbed the familiar face's collar. He pulled him to the nearest room, which was empty, and immediately switched outfits with him. The other man had no idea what was going on, until he saw the old man's expensive clothes on the floor. The exchange had happened once before, ten years ago, and it had almost cost him his life. However, the low noble now delighted at the fact that he could sell the Tan's family first-grade fabrics again. Plus, the old man had left his money to compensate. The restaurant owner couldn't be more ecstatic. That was until he found the real reason for the money left behind, it was to compensate for his medical bills by Tan Huizhong's pursuers whom he had finally gotten rid of.
'Sorry and thank you Ma Zemin!' Tan Huizhong thanked the man in his head, as he slowly made his way out of the market. He had successfully lost his stubborn pursuers, and without delay, he made his way to the meeting place - Kang's.